“Kelly,” he murmured. Brandon paused, azure depths darkened to the color of sapphires. His tongue flicked out to trace the seam of her lips. She opened up for him without a single complaint, her own tongue slipping out to meeting his. With a groan, he kissed her, exploring her mouth. The taste of deep, rich whisky washed over her taste buds, making her yearn for more. It was warm and sweet, with undertones of cinnamon and something more.

He pulled her head back, allowing him to deepen the contact. She moaned and arched her chest. One of his fingers blazed a path along her jaw and down her throat to trace along her neckline.

She wished she was naked, her flesh exposed to his touch. Needing to do more than just sit and let him take what he wanted, she lifted her arms and sunk one hand into his hair, gripping it tight to hold him where he was. With her other hand, she unbuttoned his shirt slowly until she could part the panels and touch him in a way she’d only dreamed about. His skin was feverish. With each flex of his muscles, his chest rippled. Maybe it was the whiskey or her exhaustion, but she couldn’t find a single reason not to be kissing him right now. In fact, all thought had evaporated.

The roughened tip of his finger teased her, dipping into the valley of her cleavage and withdrawing, before blazing a path of fire along the bottom edge of her sweater. Each pass made her top feel tighter, her breasts seem fuller, as if the simple wool fabric couldn’t hold back their bounty. He hooked his index finger into the dip and tugged. The threaded hem scraped against her chest, sending a ripple of sensation around her torso. She whimpered and arched her back, urging him on without words to tear, take, cup, squeeze.

He didn’t do any of those things. Brandon removed his hand and coasted down over her breast in a light tease before slipping down her side and behind her. She felt the cloth pull away from her torso before it was lifted up. With a sigh of relief she raised her arms over her head. He let go of her ponytail, yanked off her sweater, and dropped it to the floor.

She scooted back, allowing him to look his fill at her bare breasts. Under his scrutiny, her nipples pebbled and goose flesh rose on her arms and across her chest. She watched emotions flit across his face: desire, awe, happiness, acceptance, relief. Each of those sentiments was echoed within her. She wanted to reach out, cup his face, and kiss him. There was no way to say this was the alcohol talking. The buzz of the whiskey had faded away to nothing.

“Put your hands behind your back.” His voice was ragged and torn like a voice caught by the storm and distorted. He reached for his belt.

She didn’t ask what he intended to do. All she knew was that she wanted whatever it was he offered her.

*feels all tear* WOOOOT! Mate Not Wanted from Etopia Press got a 4 Star Review! I’m so happy:“Ms. Illyria did a great job building upon their personalities as the story unfolded. Nothing felt rushed, including the sex. However, there was plenty of sizzle leading up to the first sex scene, making it well worth the wait. “– Completed Reviews for Long & Short Review

Excerpt:
Trees blurred by and his body began to relax as his stresses melted away. Suddenly, there was no opening night, no success or failure to worry about. Here he was with his thoughts, closer to his element. His mind traveled to the one thing that he’d been trying to avoid thinking about: Madison Weston, the curvy little lioness who haunted his kinkiest fantasies and dreams.
A burst of heat washed through his chest and moved down to his stomach. A shadow of her scent filled the cab: sunshine, lemon, grass, and feline musk. He let out a groan as the warmth moved downward to fill his shaft and buzz around his balls. They’d only spent a few moments together, and yet her perfume and the sensation of her presence were imprinted on his brain. He could practically taste her warmth and feel the fire of her resistance. She was like a craving, an addiction he could never satiate. Just when he thought he could get close to her, she’d dart away and hide.
Another burst of fire filtered through his veins like sparks from a sparkler. He growled as another wave overtook him.
Why did she avoid him? There was only a small indication that she was attracted to him. It wasn’t enough, but it couldn’t stop the daydreams and fantasies that filled his head and threatened to shake his cool. Even now, alone, he could feel the tension that threaded along his legs and arms.
The feline instinct in him wanted to find Madison, wherever she was, and claim her. It went against everything his human side felt was right in the world. She had to come to him willingly. The waiting, however, was torturous. Nights alone, with only his imagination for company and his hand for relief, were starting to wear him thin. Not even porn helped take his mind away from how alone he was and how empty his bed felt.
Within, his tiger clawed at his heart, demanded he search Madison out and carry her away. He resisted the impulse. This was not the middle ages, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to act like a savage.
His thoughts streamed toward the bachelor auction. Lots of single women in the shifter community wanted to get their paws on him, and they had made it perfectly clear that they’d do anything he asked of them. His stomach soured in revulsion. Only his mate could release him from these feelings.
Pierce shook his head as he hit the button for the gates of his property and then turned into the drive. Hesitation filled him, pushing back some of his arousal. His tiger remained vigilant, pushing images into his head of Madison—her full lips, button nose, large brown eyes, and flawless, cocoa-colored skin. She had an hourglass figure and a tendency to wear things that reinforced that image, from corsets with blouses and pencil skirts to dresses that hugged her form like a second skin. She had a confidence and sway about her that enticed him. Madison Weston was a mystery wrapped in silk and perfume. She didn’t wear much makeup, but then again she didn’t need any artifice to look beautiful.
He wondered how he was going to survive the shifter females at the auction without insulting them. Many in the community had invested in this new sport of his, and the last thing he needed was a group of enemies. The league allowed paranormals to truly unleash their true natures in a sports setting. A lot of popular athletes had come out of the paranormal closet to participate, leaving lucrative contracts and being shunned by their human counterparts. There was turmoil in the sports community at that moment. No one knew what to make of things as they stood, and some paranormal athletes were still not admitting to their otherworldly status. There was even talk of the vampires possibly joining the Elemental League.
They just needed to get through opening day. With all the cameras around and people looking for him to fail, he wanted to tell everyone to sod off, find a pint, and hide in his house until everything was done. Being the face of the Elemental League was putting him on edge. His wilder instincts were coming out and his tiger wanted time to itself to do some hunting—become that wild loner he’d been when he had played himself.
In those days, he had kept a low profile, but had a different woman waiting for him after every game. Now there was only one woman he wanted.
Pierce turned into his driveway and let out a sigh. He was home and yet he didn’t feel safe or happy in the least. He felt lost. He could only hope that when he did get Madison in his net she’d like the place he’d custom built to house a family.

Lioness shifter Madison doesn’t want to be mated. So when her friends bid and win tiger shifter Pierce McKinney at the Bachelor Auction, she knows she’s screwed. Pierce is the one man who can get under her skin. Especially when she knows that sex with Pierce will burn hotter than the sun…

Pierce McKinney has been trying without luck to wear Madison down. So when her friends win him at a charity auction, he’s determined to win her for his own. He’ll give her what she needs and desires, and he’ll even bring in a friend to play to her fantasies. But Madison belongs to him, and only him. And he intends to show her that he plays for keeps. Even if she’s too stubborn to admit it. Because Pierce is too stubborn to let her walk away…

He reached down, grabbed her hand, and pulled her forward until she stopped just millimeters away from his body. Pierce bent down and brushed his lips against her cheek, sending a lick of fire down her spine. He moved his mouth over hers, which only ignited the flame in her body.

With a whimper, she pressed herself against him and rose on tiptoe to kiss him more fully. She sighed and opened her mouth, slipped her tongue out, and tracing a line along the seam between his lips. They parted to allow her tongue in for a deeper taste. A muffled groan was her reward. She felt his canines thicken and sharpen until they nearly drew blood when the brushed against her lips.

Madison wrapped her arms around Pierce’s neck and slipped a hand over his head, feeling the smoothness and heat of his skin against her palm. She could feel the hard planes of his body, even with the barrier of the silk shirt and wool pants he wore. She wanted to feel all that muscle and sinew against her body.

Her shoulder bite throbbed, and an insistent heat grew in the pit of her stomach. Her clit pulsed in time with her heartbeat, demanding attention. Her breasts ached for his touch. She groaned and lifted her leg to twine it around his. The pencil skirt she wore was too tight. She hated that she’d chosen to wear a waist cincher. It felt as if it weren’t allowing her take in enough air. Her blouse felt itchy and abraded her skin.

“Dinner is served.” Jessica brushed past the two of them. “Or are you two gonna keep letting in the flies and night air? I’m off to the movies. Enjoy!”

Rather than embarrassment, Madison felt amused. She gave Pierce another kiss and stepped back. Her stomach gave a growl and she gazed up at him.

“Time to eat.” She took his hand and led him into the house. “And then dessert.”

“Not until I make sure you’re not hurt.” Before she could protest he jerked her against him until her breasts pressed against his midsection. Her nipples became tightened nubs that pulsed with need. Her skin tightened as pricks of heat danced along her exposed skin and her lioness purred louder, demanding more contact with her mate. For a moment, all she saw was him. Her world became the bright white of his shirt marred by the dark stains of blood, his sweat and unique scent, the tanned skin of his neck. She leaned forward to rub herself against him, imprint her own perfume on his clothes. A soft buzzing sound filled her ears.

Whispers and murmurs swirled around them, pulling her back to the reality of where she was. Madison cursed her weakness and took a step back. She was supposed to stay away from him, not give him more ammunition to prove his theory that she was attracted to him.

“No way in hell. I’m fine. No damage. I could have handled myself, you know?” It wasn’t a bluff, but she had to remind herself of why she should be so pissed at him. Things could have gone pear shaped in a matter of seconds had she not stepped in. “Why do you have to act like such a beast? Jesus.” She ran a hand through her hair and focused her weakened anger at him. “You could have gotten someone hurt, or worse.”

He blinked. “I know you can take care of yourself. I was just trying to help.”

His voice was now soft and gentle, and yet that roughness still remained. It was like a single malt—smooth, creamy, rough, and could keep you warm on the coldest of nights.

Another shiver raced along Madison’s skin and smoothed down her spine. Her nipples pulsed with heat as her breasts grew heavy and tight. She wanted to move back into his touch, feel the press of his chest against hers as he moved within her, rubbing his skin against the sensitive tips.

Madison cleared her throat and tried to stave off her desire. “And I’m not your mate,” she lied, trying to shrug off the effects that his tenor had on her body, “friend or otherwise.”

“For now.” Pierce closed the gap between them until his chest pressed against her breasts, giving them just a hint of the pressure they needed. It wasn’t enough, not nearly enough.